BJP list to be out in Oct first week

The BJP may release its list of candidates for the Delhi Assembly elections early next month, party sources said.

The process of selecting candidates was interrupted after BJP leaders got busy celebrating the naming of Narendra Modi as the party’s prime ministerial hopeful. But sources claimed that the BJP will be able to release the list on October 6 or 7.

According to sources, the state unit is almost done with the candidates’ names for the upcoming polls.

The list will be sent to the BJP central parliamentary board by Wednesday for approval.

The party will announce all candidatures, instead of declaring a few names, the sources added.

The BJP’s national leadership will be conducting a meeting on Monday to discuss the issue at length and the names will be discussed, the sources said. “All the election committees that have been formed were asked to attend a morning meeting called by Delhi poll in charge Nitin Gadkari,” a BJP leader said.

Around 15 of its sitting MLAs may get to contest again.

A few others may not get the opportunity as the BJP was looking at giving young faces a go.

“Apart from seven or eight sitting MLAs, the Delhi BJP is planning to give ticket to rest of the MLAs as they are quite popular in their constituencies and have a strong public connect,” said the BJP leader.

The leader added that the New Delhi constituency seat was likely to be given to a woman candidate who will stand against chief minister Sheila Dikshit.

The state unit is also planning to give at least five seats to young faces.

“There are a lot of young voters and they are quite politically charged. We have decided to promote them and give them an opportunity this time. In the past few meetings held to discuss the process of ticket selection, a number of leaders had also voiced similar concerns regarding giving youngsters a chance,” added the leader.

The sources further said that the winning ability of the candidates was the sole criteria behind the ticket selection.

“Gadkariji had also reiterated this point. There has been no favouritism,” said another leader.

Since candidates do not want a decision or announcement of their names during the period of Shradh, the party will come up with a list on October 6, once the period is over.